Latch



June 26, 1928. 1,375,176

F. J. JARECKI LATCH & Filed may 26, 1924 2 Smeets-sheer 2 Inuemo Frank 5. Jove'g Patented .lune 26, 1928.

UNITED STATES Y raisin;

PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK J'. JARECKI'QOF GRAND RAPIDS, `lVlIICI'HIGALN'.

. LATCH. i 'l Application filed May 26, 1924. Serial No. 715,800.

`This invention relates to latches of the type which may be used with swinging doors beingv adapted for use with refrigerators, kitchen cabinets, cupboards and the like. It is a primary object and purpose of the present invention to construct a latch which serves in connection with a keeper` attached to a door frame, the latch being attached to the door, to securely hold the door in closed position and which may be operatedinanually so as to release the latch when the door is to be opened, the latch lever or bolt engagingwith the keeper being moved to and automatically heldin a position different from its latcliing position; and when thedoor is closed the lever engages against a portion of the keeper so that it ismoved automatically to latching position and spring pressed into engagement with the keeper to hold the door securely in closedy position.` The invention includes various novel constructions and arrangements of parts for effectively attaining the end stated as Vwell as many others notat this time enumerated but which will appear as understanding of the invention is had from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which,

Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing 1a fragmentary portion of a door and a door easing with the latch attached to the door and akeeper attached to the casing.

Fig. 2 is a perspective view ofthe outer housingl member of the latch.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the inner supporting member of the latch on which the latch bolt or lever is mounted.

Figs. 4. and 5 are side and kfront elevations, respectively, of the keeper.

Fig. 6 is a horizontal section through the latch midway between its upper and lower ends and showing the keeper in under plan view.

Fig. 7 is a vertical section taken through the latch parallel to the face of the Vdoor and showing the latch bolt or lever in its Anormal operative position. Y

Fig. 8 is a view like that shown in Fig. 7, with the latch lever or bolt in the position it gccupies when the door is to be opened, an(

Fig. 9 is a vertical section centrally through the latch in a plane parallel tothe vertical free edge of the door.

Like reference characters refer to like parts in the different views in the drawing.

The door 1 shownv is or may be of any desired construction adapted to close a door opening around which is a door casing 2 the door being hingedly mounted at one vertical edge. On the door casing adjacent the free verticaledge of the door a keeper is mounted. ,This'keeper includesa base 3 adapted to bese'cured by screws to the door casing 2. from which the keeper portion 4 extends forwardly, it including a lower sectionY 5 projecting in a forward direction farther than the part d, there being a downwardly extending slot 7 between said` parts t and 5 having curved or inclined cam sides 6 and S as shown. The section also has an inclinedouter side 5a.

ln ythe latch construction, an inner supporting member formed of a single piece of sheetmetal is used,.having a flat bottom 9 from one vertical edge of which a side 10 is turned at right angles for a. short distance` terminating in an outer or top section 11 which is turned back over one side of the bottom 9 in parallelism therewith. At theedgeof the top section 11 -an outwardly extending -ear12 is formed, as best shown in Fig; 3. At theopposite vertical edge of the bottom 9the metal is turned at right angles to make ja side 14 parallelingthe side l0 the metal then'being turned again at right angles overthe bottom 9 to make a second top section extending toward the section 1l but in a different plane farther vout therefrom, it also at its free edge having an outwardly turned` ear 16 which parallels the ear 12 `previously described. IThe end por.- tions of the ears 12 and 16 have aline'd openings for the mounting of any operating handle as will hereafter appear andv in the top sections 11 and 15 two openings 13 and 17 are made, there being openings in the bottom 9 in direct alinement with said openings 13 and 1?. At each end 'of the'base 9 a lugv 18 struck therefrom' and turned toward the top section 15 each lug 'being formed withqanropening 19 therethrough. The side 14- has an opening 2O extending its full width between its Vupper and lower ends as best shown in Fig. 1.

A latch bar or bolt 21 is located within` the inner member of the latch'and extends through the opening 20kde'scribed'. A pin '22 passes through the inner end of the boit for lever21, through the opening 13 andthe the length of the slot 23.

similar opening in the bottom 9 whereby the latch bolt is pivotally mounted. The latch bolt is flattened so that its thickness is substantially equal to the distance between the bottom 9 and thetop section 11. A slot 23 arc-shaped with a center of curvature coincident Vwith the axis ot the pin 22 is cut through the bolt 21 a distance from said pin i 22. At the outer end, the latch bolt is thickened as indicated at 24 the projecting outer end portion being formed with an inclined cam side 25 while at the inner end a socket 26 is tor-med on the outer side as best shown in Figs. 7 and 8. y

Lying directly over the thinner portion of the latch bolt 21 is a member 27 of irregular shape, at its upper edge and near its inner end having a curved projection 28 and at its outer end being formed with a projection 29 adapted to fit in the socket 26 previously described. Between the projections 28 and 29 and at the upper side of the member 27 are two other projections 30 between which is formed a shallow recess or seat as shown. A pin 31 passes through the member 27 the slot 23 in the latch bar, the opening 17 in the top section 15, and the alined opening inthe bottom 9 thereby pivotally mounting said member 27 on the pin while the latch lever has a limited movement withrespect to the pin prescribed by A rod 32 is formed with the head 33, the

head seating in the recess between the project-ions 30 and the end of the rod passing through the opening 19 of the upper lugs 18. A coiled spring 34 is positioned around the rod 32 between -said lug and the head 33.

The latch mechanism described is covered by an outer casing or housing which may be formed from sheet metal or cast from metal as may seem best. This casing or housing has a top or outer side 35 with upper and lower ends 36 turned inwardly at right angles and then turned outwardly at right angles to form attaching ears 37 or the passage ot screws therethrough into the door to connect the housingr to the door. The housing also includes an inwardly extending side 38. The side of the housing nearest the free vertical edge of the door to which it is attached is open. The supporting member shown in Fig. 3 is located within the housing, ears 12 and 16 extending `outwardly through a rectangular opening 39 made in the outer side 35 ofthe housing. A lug 40 integral with the housing extends outwardly both at the upper and lower ends of the opening 39. An operating handle 41 depends below the ears 12 and 16 and at its upper end is turned inwardly; as indicated at 42. passing between ears and terminating in a finger 43 which bears against the portion 28 of the member 27. a pivot pin 44 part 42 at the upper end of the depending handle 41 to pivotally mount said handle.

As shown in Fig. 7, the latch bolt or lever is located substantially horizontal and the. torce of the spring 44 is transmitted thereto through rod 32 having its head 33 bearing against member 27` and said member 27 having projection 29 seated in Ythe socket 26. And when the latch is attached to a door and the door closed,-the projecting end 24 of the latch bolt is seated in the slot 7 of the keeper holding the door securely in closed position.4 When the door is to be opened, handle 41V is grasped and pulled outwardly at `its lower end this causing theinger 43 to press against the member 27 and turn it in a clockwise direction about pivot 33 where.- upon the part 29 is likewise turned and carries theV latch `lever or bolt upwardly about its pivot 22. At the same time the spring carrying rod 32 is turned from the position shown in Fig. 7 to thatshown in Fig. 8, it being evident that theline of torce of the spring passes from one side of the axis of pin 31 to the other thereby callsing the spring to hold the latch lever or bolt in the upper position shown in Fig. 8. The handle member is free and may drop to its normal position. When the door is closed the upper edge portion of the outer end of the latch lever or bolt strikes against the inclined cam surface 6 of the keeper thereby turning the latch lever or bolt` about its pivot 22 and carrying the spring carrying rod 32 almost immediately to a position where the force of the spring may be extended to force the inclined side 25 of the outer end portion 24 of the latch bolt or lever against the cam side 8 of the keeper slot and wedge the door by spring pressure to closed position.

This construction is practical and effective. It is easily manutactured and assembled at low cost. By turning a lug 18 at each end of the bottom 9,.otl the inner-supporting structure the construction can. be used on doors that swing either to the right or to the left. merely making two different forms of latch levers or bolts 21 one for the right and one for the left swinging door. Thev remainder of the construct-ion is identical in both forms though in theassembly the spring carrying rod 32 will be passed through the opposite lug 18 from that shown in Figs. 7 and 8. the supporting member of the latch housing being turned end for end.

Because the latch lever Vdoes nothave to ride should be accidentally moved to its lowerV position before the doorY is closed itcan return over the inclined side 5n of the keeper until it has reached the keeper slot 7.

passing through the ears 12 and 1G and the The invention isl defined in the appended claims and is to be considered as comprehensive of all forms of structure coming withint the scope of the claims.

I claim:

l. In a latch, a housing adapted to be attached to a door, a latch lever pivotally mounted within the housing and at one end extending through and beyond the housing, an irregularly-shaped member lying over the latch lever between the housing and pivotally mounted between its ends, connections between one end of said member and the latch lever, spring means bearing against said member and a manually operated handle member movably mounted and adapted to engage with said irregularlyshaped member to turn the same to elevate the projecting end of the latch lever and turn the irregularly-shaped member about its pivot thereby changingthe position of the spring means so that its line of force passes from one side to the other of the pivotal axis about which said irregularlyshaped member turns, substantially as described.

2. In a latch, the combination with a door and a door frame therefor, a latch secured to the door and a keeper secured to the door frame, said latch comprising a support, a latch lever pivotally mounted on the support adapted to engage with the keeper when in lits lowermost position, manually operated means for lifting the latch lever out of engagement with the keepenspring means associated with the latch lever operating to hold the lever in lifted position when moved thereto, said keeper including a lower lever holding portion and an upper projecting portion `against which the upper edge of the latch lever strikes when the door is closed to thereby move the lever in a downward direction until the spring means is moved to position to act on the lever to force it in a downward direction, substantially as described.

3. In a latch, a housing, a supporting member located within the housing, a latch lever pivotally mounted at one end to said supporting member and extending outwardly through and beyond a side of the housing, an irregularly-shaped member located over and between the ends of the latch lever a pivot pin passin through the latch lever and the irregular y-shaped member, said latch lever having a slot through which the pin passes, pivotal connections between one end of said member and the latch lever, a rod having a head at one end bearing against the irregularly-shaped member, a

latch lever, substantially as and for the purpose described.

4. A latch comprising a; support, a latch lever pivotally mounted at one end thereto, a pivotally mounted member located over the latch lever, pivotal connections between said member and lever at one end of the member, manually operated means to engage against the member at the opposite end thereof to turn the lever about is pivot, and spring means acting on said member shifted by the turning thereof on lits pivot so that the line of force of the spring passes from one side to the other of the pivotal axis of said member.

5. A. latch comprising an inner supporting member formed of sheet metal and in cluding a bottom, upwardly turned spaced apart sides and two top sections turned inwardly toward each other from saidsides, a latch lever pivotally mounted at one end between the bottom and one of said top sections, said lever extending outwardly through a side of the supporting member and having a free end, said lever being formed with an arc-shaped slot between its ends, two ears extending upwardly one from the inner edge of each of the top sections, a latch housing, covering the supporting member and having an opening in it-s upper side through which the ears extend, a member located overthe latch lever between its ends said member being pivotally mounted between its ends on a pivot pin located between the bottom and the other top section of the inner supporting member, interengaging pivotal connections between one end of said member and the lever, al handle member located between, pivotally connected to and depending from said ears, said handle member having an inner projecting portion terminating in a finger lying over the end of said member opposite the end connectedto the lever, and spring means disposed between said member and the inner supporting member shiftable with the operation of the handle to move across Ythe pivotal axis of the member located over the lever.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

FRANK J. JARECKI. 

